They Loved Me
by P-Athena-K
Summary: WHo will Téa chose? The Egyptian Prince? The High Priest? The Secret Admirer? Or The Babylonian Prince?
1. prologue

PROLOGUE

My name is Tea and I am going to die tonight.

I am lying on a beautiful bed and looking out of the window at the sunset. This is probably the last memory I will have from my life, but it's ok. Just by looking at these beautiful colors, my soul feels rested and calm.

I am an old woman, an old legend. Poets write about me, normal people dream about me. It is said that I am the most fortunate person on earth. Graced by Gods. Maybe they are right. But what they don't know is that I am also most certainly cursed. I led a life of luxury and never had any limits in fulfilling my desires; but one. The thing that I wanted the most and was always somehow robbed from me. The thing that no human should lack in their life. I was never allowed to live in peace with the one I loved.

_But you are The Woman! People say you..._

Yes, I was quiet fortunate. I had the love of three of the most powerful men in my era, but never was I allowed living in peace with my beloved.

_Can you..._

I know why you are here, child. You want to hear my life story. Fear not, for I shall tell you, but on one condition. You have to promise to keep it a secret. The revelation that I led a miserable life will do no one any good. People need their fair share of tales and legends and I am a legend for them. I cannot take this satisfaction from them.

Come closer and sit by my side, for I cannot raise my voice above a whisper but I want you to hear my story and understand it. I want to leave this world knowing my life was at least somehow beneficial.

_But..._

Now now child, hush and listen carefully. I have not much time left. I can already feel the angels of death coming for me. I know that once finished, I will leave this earthly world and go to the underworld.

_No! You cannot die!! What about..._

I accept death with open arms, my dear, for it shall reunite me with my long lost love and free me from this torture.

Now, let's begin the tale of my life.

Once upon a time...


	2. why are you late?

CHAPTER ONE

"Téa!!! Téa!!! Where are you hiding you insolent child? Come back here at once or I shall tell your uncle!!"

A six year old girl laughed to herself from under the bushes and tried to hide more, afraid of what would really happen if and when her care-taker would find her. She was sure that the old woman would not tell her uncle-she loved her enough to not let her uncle know what she did and thus bring her uncle's wrath upon the young child- but it didn't stop her to give the little brat a lesson she wouldn't forget for long.  
After making sure that the old woman was gone searching for her in another part of the garden, she came out of her hiding place and quickly ran to the southern wall, where she opened a secret door that led her in to the outside world. After passing several alleys, she came to the town square. There she saw 6 or 7 kids her age, playing in the dirt and two others standing in a corner, one just looking with indifference and the younger one with hidden desire.

"Hey guys!!! Look, it's Téa!! Where have you been? You're very late. What happened?"

"Sorry, Halima wouldn't let me go. I had to hide in the garden and wait until she left to come here. What are we playing?"

The young boy who was standing to the slightly older one, upon seeing her smiled in joy and ran towards her,

"Hey Téa!! I'm glad you came. Big brother won't let me play unless you are here. Please say you will play, please? I promise not to cry if I fall. Please say yes!!!!!"

The young girl laughed at this enthusiastic outburst and replied,

"of course I'll play! I didn't sneak away for nothing! So, what do you and your brother want to play?"

The older boy who was silently watching all this came closer and ruffled his brother's hair while slightly grinning,

"how about ball? Or are you too scared to play? You know girls can't defend themselves like boys."

All the other kids kept quiet and looked at this exchange with interest.

"Don't be so full of yourself, Seto. You know very well I can beat you not only at ball, but at any other game too."

And with that, she blew a raspberry at the smirking boy.

"Oh yeah? I bet you can't do a lot of things that I can do. If you are forgetting it, I am the next high priest of Egypt, while you are only an ambassador's niece, nothing more. I bet you can't even read or write, let alone riding and fighting and magic."

A collective gasp was heard before the young girl replied with an attitude,

"Maybe you are the next high priest, but as you said, I am an ambassador's niece. But what you forgot to consider is that I am also a princess of my country and therefore, I am required to know all you mentioned and more. And I do not allow some second rate priest tell me what I can or cannot do."

Before any fight could start, a voice came, forcing everyone into silence.

"Seto, you may be the future high priest of Egypt and Téa, you may be the next queen of your country, but I am the next pharaoh and therefore, am superior to all of you. So as your future ruler, I command both of you to stop arguing and start to play. And also keep your differences out of the game, not all of our friends are born into noble families like us. Understood?"

"But Atem, you saw what he said. How do you expect me to react? If it weren't for you..."

"Stop it Téa, you are proving that he is right and girls are weak. He just wants to provoke you. Now cousin, apologize to her please and let's play ball."

Seto looked at his cousin Atem in disbelief and shock.

"Are you out of your mind? How do you expect me to apologize to her? She is a nobody. I am certainly better than her and ..."

"Quiet Seto! How dare you? Apologize immediately or I will tell Father."

Looking at her with disdain and something alike hate, he mumbled something under his breath.

"What did you say? I can't hear you!"

"I said, I am sorry for my behavior and in the future I will try to refrain from such behavior. Are you happy now, Atem?"

"Yes I am. Now let's forget this all and play."

"But Atem," said Téa, "we must wait. Our new friend is not here yet and we promised to wait for him to come and play. Let's wait for a moment until he comes. Please??"

"No!!! Let's play! If he is late it is his own fault, not ours. Also, who said we want to play with him?" Chorused all the children except Atem, Seto and Moba (Seto's little brother.)

"You can't be serious!!! What do you mean by that? How can you? We promised him that we will play with him from that day on when he saved us from the guards and if I recall correctly, you were very happy back then to have him as play mate."yelled Tea angrily.

Suddenly she was pushed to the ground and somebody said,

"Well, that was back then and now it is now!!!!What you want..." In the middle of these words, the kid that was talking, Jonto, was silenced by two powerful punches in his face. When tea looked up, she saw Atem and Seto standing by her and Moba blowing a raspberry at the offender from behind his brother.

All of a sudden, footsteps were heard and a figure came running the street and stopped in front of them. A collective gasp was heard and all the children could do was stare wide eyes. Before them, stood their new friend. But that was not what shocked them, it was the fact that he was bruised badly and partly covered in blood!!!


	3. We are friends

CHAPTER 2

A/N: Omg!!!My first story!!And I have reviews!!!!It's so cool!!!I would've never thought anyone would like my story!

YAMIVIVA: thanx for your review. I promise to try and write longer chapters. You were my first reviewer and so, I dedicate this chapter to you.

ANISSA: thank you too for your review. Just to make a few points clear: Téa could get together with Seto, or not. Depends on you guy's opinions. And yes you are right. It is she!!!Or is she???? _"Snickers evilly"_ not telling!

AYAME11MIDORI: thankx for the review.the reason they speak so is that they are all from very high placed and noble families and they were thaught to speak so.hope it could answer your question.

Disclaimer: I can't believe I forgot to mention in the last chapters!!! Unless someone is nice enough to buy it for me, I do not own Yu-Gioh!. Not even Seto and Téa!

"Talking"

'Thinking'

Jonto: Joey/Jounouchi

Moba: Mokuba

Tista: Tristan/Honda

Now on with the story:

We are friends

_All of a sudden, footsteps were heard and a figure came running the street and stopped in front of them. A collective gasp was heard and all the children could do was stare wide eyes. Before them, stood their new friend. But that was not what shocked them, it was the fact that he was bruised badly and partly covered in blood!_

He advanced slowly and unsurely towards the others, with a guilty smile. But before he could take 5 steps he collapsed on the ground.

"Hey!!! What happened??"Cried Téa, while rushing to his side and cradling his head,"what is wrong? Tell me! Who hurt you? They will pay for putting in such a condition. Are you ok???"

looking around frantically, she yelled, "Jonto, Tista, Seto, you guys go and search to see who did this. Moba, you go and find some water with Atem. You others, help me put him on the bench under that tree. Move, NOW!!!!"

The children ran to do as told. Seto, Jonto and Tista went to search the street to find the person that had put their friend in such conditions; while Atem and Moba ran to the fountain near the place to bring some water and the other children put the young boy on a bench nearby. Téa shred a piece of her robe to clean the blood on the boy's face and body. When Atem arrived with water, she put the piece of cloth in the water and gently rubbed his face. The boy groaned and whispered, "Water please."

When hearing his plea, Téa sat by the boy and put his head on her lap and slowly gave him some water. At that moment, the others arrived and scowled upon seeing the young boy's head on Téa's lap.  
"What are you doing Téa? Your fancy robe will get dirty with his blood. Let him be and go play..."

The words had not left Tista's lips that Téa's fist connected with his jaw and he fell a few meters away. She had done it so fast that nobody even saw her getting up, let alone punching him.  
"I'll let you know that he is also my friend and unlike you, I care for my friends and I don't mind my dress getting bloody. You may go play but I will not leave his side until he gets up. And here I thought Egyptians were supposed to be gentle and hospitable. I am ashamed to call you my friend."

Hearing these words, Atem and Seto felt a new respect towards Téa; not only she helped those in need, she also chastisesed those who thought themselves better than everyone else.

Suddenly the boy stirred, causing Téa to run to him and putting his head in her lap again. Slowly, the boy opened his eyes and blinked, looking around. When he saw he was surrounded by the children, he gave a small smile that turned into a huge grin upon seeing Téa. Téa grinned at him also and said,  
"Are you okay? You seem to be in a very bad condition, who did this to you? Tell us and we will make them pay. Can you sit?"

The boy frowned upon remembering what happened and gave her a sad smile and said,

"That's not a problem. I...I...I got into a fight with somebody. Really, it's nothing to worry about. I can stand on my own. Let's play. I feel better; thanks to you. But can I have a little bit more water? My throat is dry and hurts."

"Sure, here you are. Drink slowly. Do you want anything else?"

"No thanks. You guys are the best friends a boy can wish for. Especially you Téa." Téa blushed and turned her head to hide it. This irritated Atem and Seto as they were very possessive of her. Just then Moba cried,  
"Hey! What are we waiting for? Let's play ball. We don't have much time. They are going to come after us soon." The others agreed and went to play.

After an hour or two, the sky went dark and it was time for them all to go back home. But Téa noticed that the boy was looking sadly at them and seemed as if he didn't want them to go. She went to him and smiled, saying,  
"What's wrong? You seem sad. Is there a problem?"

"No, everything is alright. I am just sad that you are going. Who knows when we will see each other again. And..."

"And what? You know you can tell me."

"You know, I am an orphan. I have no place to go to. No home."

"I am really sorry. Listen, I promise to come every other day to play with you. Is that good? I can also bring Atem, Seto and Moba."

The boy's face illuminated with a huge smile and hopeful eyes.

"Really? You will do that for me? You're the best Téa." And he enveloped her in a bear hug.

Laughing, she replied, "Of course. What are friends for then? You should know that as your friends, we will do all we can to make you happy" and she kissed him on the cheek and ran towards the others to sneak back in the palace.

This scene didn't go unnoticed by two someones and they glared at the poor boy menacingly. Before going, Téa returned once more and cried, "Hey, what is your name? You never told us."

"My name...my name is Bakura."


	4. The promise

**CHAPTER3**

**The promise**

_Before going, Téa returned once more and cried, "Hey, what is your name? You never told us"_

_"My name...my name is Bakura."_

That day, when the children went back to their houses, they were all punished for going out alone and without any guards. The Pharaoh and Téa's uncle were really angry with them and not even Moba could sweet talk himself out of trouble. After lots of scolding and tears, it was decided that the children would no more be alone by themselves and even if someday they were allowed to go out of the palace, they should have at least 5 escorts.

The news of their punishment shocked all them but most of all, Téa was depressed; she couldn't stop thinking about poor Bakura and her promise to him. That night, after dinner the children were allowed to play with each other and so, Téa had a chance to talk to Seto and Atem about her failed promise. Upon seeing her tears, Atem and Seto promised her to find a way for her to at least meet Bakura one last time.

And so, next week, when it was time for her to go, Atem and Seto pretended to get into a fight as draw all attention to themselves. Using this opportunity, once again Téa fled from the palace to meet Bakura. When she arrived there, he was already waiting for them with an anxious expression that changed to a huge grin seeing Téa.

"Hey Téa!!! I almost thought you wouldn't come. Where are the others? Aren't they coming?"

She just looked at him with sorrowful eyes and began to explain. "Nobody is coming Bakura. I'm sorry."

"What do you mean nobody is coming? What happened? Is it because I am a poor orphan?"

Hearing this, Téa's eyes widened and she hurried to clear the misunderstanding, "no Bakura, that's not it. Last time, when we returned, my nanny was very mad at me and she told my uncle and the Pharaoh that we all went out without permission. So they were really mad at us and punished us so we cannot go out of the palace anymore. But Atem and Seto helped me to sneak out to come and tell you. And none of us cares who you are, you're our friend!!!"

Bakura felt a little bit ashamed from his reaction and tried to console the now crying Téa.

"Shhhh, don't cry. I'm sorry for not trusting you and being mean to you. Listen, if you stop crying, I'll try to come to the palace sometimes and play. What do you think?"

Sniffing, Téa looked up and smiled at him. "Really? You promise? I'm so happy I must hug you!!!"

She threw herself at him, catching him by surprise and thus landing them both on the ground laughing.

_'I promise Téa, I promise.'_ he thought to himself while hugging her.

**And so, years passed and we were all happy with each other. Until one day,**

"Téa! Seto! Moba! Atem! Come here quickly."

"Oh oh, what have we done this time?' asked Moba.

"I don't know little brother but we better go or the pharaoh will be angrier with us." replied Seto as he broke into a run.

"He is right; father is scary when he is angry. Even scarier than your uncle Téa." Said Atem running with them.

"Yeah I know. I just hope they won't keep us too long, Bakura may come today and I don't want to make the poor boy come again tomorrow. The new guards are real mean." said Téa while panting and running toward the throne room.

When they all arrived, they were shocked and speechless. Before them, on the ground, were a bunch of people badly beaten and bloody. Téa gasped upon recognizing Bakura and his uncle and aunt who were his only family in the middle of the mass.

Téa's uncle and the Pharaoh were speaking in hushed tones between themselves. When they saw that they were standing in the doorway, they both smirked.

"Come here my children. Fear not these people. They are only some good for nothing, scum thieves. But I believe you know at least some of them, eh Téa? You seem horrified and surprised. Tell me, which one of these filths is known to you?" Sneered the pharaoh.

Téa's uncle seemed to enjoy their little game, so he continued, "Yes Téa, tell us how you know them? Maybe they have stolen something from you? Or one of your friends? I don't believe so; they aren't that good as thieves. But maybe you know them on a completely different level, maybe the little one is one of your toys? No? Is he a friend?" saying this, he laughed cruelly and T'a started to see everything blurry from behind the curtain of tears.

"No uncle, I beg you. Please let him and the others go. They have done nothing to us. Please great Pharaoh, have mercy with them."

Without paying her any attention, the Pharaoh got up and went to the prisoners, nodding his head to one of the guards; the guard pulled Bakura to his feet and dragged him in front of the Pharaoh's feet.

"So, you are the piece of filth that comes to my palace every two or three weeks.Hm, I believe I have seen you before. Yes, now I remember, you are from that village that was massacred years ago, if I am correct, you were the sole survivor. I am sure you will be happy to know that the death of your family and friends helped me to create the millennium items." Then the Pharaoh kicked Bakura so hard he went flying to the wall.

"But it seems that you still have someone from your family. Well, shall we remedy that? Guards slaughter everyone but this boy and make sure he watches. Téa's uncle continued laughing with the Pharaoh and turned towards Téa and her friends. "Now Téa, you must learn not to hang out with commoners. You can thank Atem for telling us about this dirty rat; without him we wouldn't have been able to capture these people."

Téa stared at Atem, not believing what her uncle was saying. Seto and Moba were shocked as well. But no one was as surprised as Bakura; he was shaking with anger and began cursing Atem loud enough for everyone to hear. "What have I ever done to you, you worthless piece of junk? Why couldn't you see me happy? Answer me damn it! I swear, one day you will pay for this. Mark my words."

Téa who was still crying saw that the Pharaoh was angered that Bakura dared to talk like that with Atem and became more afraid for his life. So she ran and threw herself at the pharaoh and her uncle's feet, pleading them to spare Bakura.

"Please uncle. Please Pharaoh, have mercy with him. He is still a child. He is only 13 years old. I beg you, let him go. He has saved my life many times; I can assure you he is not bad at all. I'll do anything."

The pharaoh looked at her thoughtful before replying. "It is not my decision. Only Atem himself can decide that. My son, what do you want to do with this prisoner?"

"I will set him free, unharmed if he apologizes. If not, he will be punished severely but still I'll free him. I am not that coldhearted. What do you say, Bakura?"

"I will never apologize to you. You may be the future Pharaoh but you're not worth ruling this country. Remember my words."

"As you wish. Guards, take him to the dungeons and punish him, but don't kill him. When you're finished, get him out of here."

As the guards bowed and went to take Bakura with them, the sound of a slap was heard and suddenly everything went quiet.  
It was Téa who had slapped Atem. She was breathing hard and shaking with barely contained anger.

"How dare you? How could you? He has done nothing to you but you still betrayed our friendship. I hope you are happy and proud of yourself. I hate you and I don't want to have anything to do with you anymore. Bakura is right, you are an arrogant jerk who doesn't deserve ruling Egypt." Said Téa while broking down to sobs, before continuing, "I am sorry Bakura, I never knew. I hope you will forgive us. I know for a fact that Seto and Moba would never betray you either."

She turned and ran out of the room, Seto and Moba ran after her, but not before looking at Bakura with an encouraging smile and a look of disdain for Atem. When they were gone, the guards dragged the prisoners toward the dungeons and the two elder men approached Atem.

Placing his hand on Atem's shoulder, the pharaoh spoke, "you made the right decision my son. Don't worry about your friends. They will understand your motives someday. Now go to your chambers and let that bruise be taken care of."

Atem nodded and bowed before disappearing behind the massive doors and heading for his chambers.


	5. How could he?

CHAPTER 4

Hey everyone!!!!Sorry for the late update, but I was really busy. I just started my German and Japanese classes and they took a lot of my time. And also I was downloading and watching Gundam Wings. I love it.

I must thank my reviewers, without them, I would have forgotten this fic. I tend to get tired of things easily, but hey, here is the new chapter!

_Oh and as a reminder, the story started with everyone around 7,8 years old. Atem betrays Bakura's friendship at 12 and now they are all 15._

Disclaimer: why would I write a Fanfic if I owned it?

_Placing his hand on Atem's shoulder, the Pharaoh spoke, "you made the right decision my son. Don't worry about your friends. They will understand your motives someday. Now go to your chambers and let that bruise be taken care of."_

_Atem nodded and bowed before disappearing behind the massive doors and heading for his chambers._

** 3 years later **

"Miss Téa, you look lovely tonight. I am sure your uncle will be very happy to see you at the festivities, and also a certain someone who is ..."

"Stop right there, you know I don't like him. I may have forgiven him, but I haven't forgotten how he betrayed poor Bakura." Téa snapped angrily at the young slave that was helping her dress, before looking apologetically at her and continuing, "I'm sorry Rabeba, I didn't mean to snap at you, but the way he acts as if he has done nothing wrong in his life and tries to win my heart is infuriating."

"No, I am the one that acted past my boundaries, please excuse me mistress. But if I may say, you are starting to act more and more angrily to his advances. Could it be that someone has captured your heart?"Rabeba said grinning mischievously.

Téa blushed slightly and responded haughtily, "for your information, I have not yet found a man who could even wake my curiosity, and as my reactions to Atem, he is just getting annoying. Sure he may be sweet and nice most of the time and always being around, but he has a wrong sense of pride. He thinks everyone is there to carry around his orders. Imagine this, yesterday, he told Moba to go fetch him water, although there were many slaves in the room, and when he refused, Atem threatened to ban him and make Seto jobless!! Imagine that! How dare he? Poor Seto has done nothing. Little Moba was so scared he started to cry and Atem was so angered, he tried to hit Moba!!Fortunately, I could dissuade him and have a slave fetch him water. I mean he is so arrogant with people he deems inferior!!!"

When she finished her tale, Téa was very flushed and her eyes sparkled with anger. Rabeba, wisely, just nodded and put some finishing touches on Téa's dress. After calming down, TИa stood and looked at herself. She wore a pure white dress that came to her ankles and had a little trail. There was also a slit on the left side that came up to mid-thigh. It had a decent low-riding collar that just teased the mind, without revealing anything, with light blue wide straps. Her long hair was hanging freely behind her. She also had light blue sandals with straps. The only thing changed in her face was the mild pink of her lips and the Cole used to accentuate her eyes, as she despised painting her face and (thank Ra!) her uncle had forbidden her to paint herself, as he so charmingly expressed, _like the poor pleasure women waiting by the Nil for a fisherman to take them to his house for a couple of hours._

She hated how her uncle expressed himself in private, completely different from his public self. When in front of people, he was all charms and politeness, leading you to believe he was never taught a profanity. But this same man, when in his private space, cursed and cussed worse than sailors. He mocked everybody, even the Pharaoh, although he seemed to worship him in public. He mocked every single person that had the misfortune of crossing his path even once. He called the women _brainless parasites, latching themselves onto men for money and some nighttime action._ Moreover, the men were also humiliated by him, referred to as_ greedy imbeciles, wanting to fill their pockets and get under a woman's skirt by any means._

Therefore, he had protected her fiercely from the palace and their occupants, only letting her socialize with her long time friends, Atem, Seto and Moba. And the only reason for such permission was to keep himself in the good graces of the future Pharaoh and High priest.

She came out of her daze, being called by Rabeba and the knocking on her door. She waited patiently as her slave opened the door, revealing her uncle. He scrutinized her outfit and seemed to approve as he nodded his head with a smile and told her to come with him. She complied silently and started to walk behind him.

After passing several hallways, they reached the northern hall where the festivities would be held. It was a huge room decorated with white and gold, trimmed with red and purple. The guests were crowding around the Pharaoh and his son. Still trailing behind her uncle, she approached them with a fake polite smile.

"Ah! Good to see you old friend. My, what a beautiful flower you have brought with you. How are you my darling? I hope my son treats you good. If not, you can always come to me. Eh?"The pharaoh laughed and winked at her, which made her feel a little bit dirty. She quickly answered politely, making sure not to show her dislike and discomfort, taking her leave few minutes later. She searched around the crowed with her eyes, trying to find her faithful friends, Seto and Moba. She was getting desperate when somebody from behind tried to glomp her.

"Wow Téa!! You look amazing! I am sure you're going to need a brave warrior to save you from all those old men searching for a bride!!!" cried Moba, quite happily in fact. The boy was always trying to bring his brother and Téa together, as he saw them as THE perfect couple, which had earned more than a few scolding from his brother.

Speaking of which, the said brother was openly staring at Téa, mouth slightly agape. But upon hearing Moba mentioning his name, Seto calmly collected himself and smirked at Téa, before saying, "what happened? I thought you didn't want to come? Did your uncle force you? I must say, he must be desperate to marry you to even bother bringing you to such high class gatherings."

Téa fumed silently before responding smugly, "My dear Seto, you seem too preoccupied with me being single. Is it that you fear I might try and seduce you? Don't worry; I have higher expecting of the man in my life that you will ever dream of reaching. After all, I am a princess and you are nothing more than a priest. I could possibly not waste my time with the likes of you. Come Moba, you are going to be my prince charming tonight."

With that said, Téa strolled silently, before dragging Moba with her to the other side of the room. Seto looked angry for a moment before chuckling to himself and going after them. When he reached them, Téa huffed and turned her head away, before Seto could say anything, a loud voice brought all their attention to the middle of the room.

"Dear nobles and ambassadors, tonight we are gathered here to celebrate another victory in the war against Nubi. And also my friend here, the ambassador of Hatti wanted to announce something of utmost importance. Please, my friend."

Téa's uncle stood up and with a small smile, started to speak, "I, as the great ambassador of Hatti, hereby declare that the Hittite princess Téa, has reached the age to be pursued in marriage, and from tonight, I will listen to requests of marriage and will decide of whom to be her husband by her 17th birthday."

Téa was beyond shocked. She was speechless. She could only hear the distant voice of Moba and Seto, asking her if she was alright. Soon she heard the sound of Atem's voice too. Before she knew it, she ran out of the room towards the balcony, crying herself dry. How could her uncle decide of this matter without first talking to her? Exhausted, she stood up from where she had slipped down, her back to a pillar, to go to her room and get some sleep, before passing out of fatigue.

But what she didn't know was that three pairs of eyes were observing her, each from their own spot hidden in the shadows. One pair of deep ocean blue, one of crimson violet, and another one brown with a tint of red.

TBC

A/N: well, here is the new chapter. Once again I apologize for the wait. Just for my own curiosity, who do you think should be paired with Téa? Seto, Atem or Bakura? Depending on your vote, I will choose the final pairing...or not. Depends on the number of votes.


	6. their feelings

**CHAPTER 5**

Hi again!!!What's up? Here is the next chapter; I almost received a death threat from one of my friends to update this soon!

As for the voting, until now Seto is the leading figure, followed by Bakura and Atem. Poor Atem, nobody likes him!  
But the final decision will wait until three or four chapters. So, there is still time if you want to choose your pairing.

Without further interruption, here is the rest of story.

Disclaimer: I really own nothing. Pity.

_But what she didn't know was that three pairs of eyes were observing her, each from their own spot hidden in the shadows. One pair of deep ocean blue, one of crimson violet, and another one brown with a tint of red._

When Téa went to her room, the eyes following her every move retreated to the darkness, each in different directions. Atem and Seto had to go back to the room and take part in the festivities; but Seto made sure to send Moba to Téa's room, offering what comfort he could.

He couldn't stop thinking what impact tonight was going to have on the cheerful girl and their somewhat awkward relationship. Sure, he never seemed to care for her, always trying to get a rise out of her, but deep down, he secretly liked her. He didn't know when everything started, but knew that during all these years, his feeling grew from bored interest to rivalry and finally, to deep affections. He realized with a start, that he was jealous. _How can it be? Why should I be jealous? Or more importantly, of whom?_ With a dry chuckle, he answered to himself, _I am jealous of Atem. She was right, she is a princess and she will most certainly marry Atem. No! I won't let her. She will be mine._

The same thoughts ran through Atem's head._ I wonder what she will say, knowing I am going to ask for her hand. I know she doesn't like me like that, but she will soon. But...could it be that she has feelings for someone else? ...someone like Seto? No! I won't let that happen. She WILL be mine._

Each lost in their own world, didn't realize they were standing in front of each other. When they came to themselves with a small start, both sent a look of despise and strong dislike toward the other, turning away and going to mingle in the crowd.

What they were both unaware of was that there was somebody else pinning for Téa's affections, namely the new king of thieves, Bakura. He came a long way from three years ago. After that bitter incident, he decided to become the greatest thief and make Atem pay. All those years, he still came to the palace, observing his old friends, and slowly falling for Téa. But his feelings for Téa were becoming somewhat an obsession, always trailing her and watching her from the shadows.

Tonight was no exception, as he was present at the palace, and upon hearing her uncle's statement, he felt as if his love was in danger. He was convinced that Téa held feelings for him, going so far as to imagine her as his wife. Naturally he felt threatened by tonight's events and after making sure Téa was safely in her room, attended to by Rabeba, he fled from the palace to form a plan of action to take Téa and bring her to his place, hidden in the sand.

Unaware of all this, Téa was in her room crying and screaming at her uncle, only to be silenced by Rabeba's embrace, trying to sooth her anger. When Moba arrived, he ran to Téa and sat in her lap, hugging her and comforting her. He tried to calm her down, telling her that she still had 2 years and he was sure that in the time, Seto would find a way to help her. After some time, Téa fell asleep, exhausted and Moba left her chambers to go look for his brother. When he found Seto, he was speaking with the pharaoh and Atem. Moba waited calmly until the Pharaoh left and told Seto how sad Téa was, which caught the attention of Atem too. Reluctantly, Seto and Atem agreed to visit her together in the morning, letting her get at least a good night's sleep.

The next morning

Téa woke up with a terrible headache, a result of last night's crying.

"I don't want to get up. Wake me when I am 80 years old." With that said, she slid under the covers once again. But Rabeba was having nothing of it. She took the sheets and pulled them off Téa, thus forcing her to open her eyes and fight for them. In the middle of their fight, the door opened and Seto, Atem and Moba entered. But they froze upon seeing Téa, clad in only her sleep gown, fighting with Rabeba over the sheets, shouting and demanding that she returns the sheets so she will be able to sleep until her 80th birthday.

After a minute, they started laughing so hard that Moba fell to the floor, clutching his sides. Téa turned with an angry expression towards them, but then realized the situation and became red as a tomato, taking the sheets and wrapping them around herself, while Rabeba shrieked at them to get out of an unclad girl's room.

After kicking them out, Rabeba turned to Téa who stared back with a wide-eye expression. Not two seconds later, they both burst out laughing. When Téa was dressed and was ready to accept visitors, Rabeba opened the door and sent the boys in.

"Well Téa, we can definitely say that you are not a morning person! I would have never expected you to want to sleep until you're what, 80 years old?" snickered Moba, attempting to quiet his laughter.

"Yeah Téa, I thought princesses had better thing to do than to sleep until mid-morning." Seto teased her smugly, never wasting an opportunity to unnerve her.

Poor Téa, she didn't know what to say, so what if she wasn't a morning person? She had managed to hide this particular detail until now, knowing if the boys knew, she would be teased to the end of her days, just like now.

Atem looked at her seriously before saying, "Téa, what are going to do about last night? I mean the part about you being courted for the next two years until your marriage?" His words caused Téa to sober up and feel as if her life had ended. Her expression didn't went unnoticed by the two others, who glared hard at him, but turning to Téa without a word and trying to comfort her. Although none of their attempts succeeded, until Seto got annoyed and said, "Look Téa, whether you are happy with it or not, you are going to receive marriage proposals for the next two years. I suggest you don't lose hope; who knows? Maybe you will find love till then. You still have two years; a lot can happen in that time. I am sure your uncle and you will take the best decision together. So stop mopping around and come to the gardens, fresh air will do you good."

"You know what?" Téa visibly perked up, "You are absolutely right. Maybe I will find someone to love until then. At least I know that I am not forced to marry some stranger. My uncle may be strict, but he will go along with our costumes and let me get to know my suitors. So at least I'll have an idea of what to do. Thank you Seto, you are a dear."

With that said, she pecked him on the cheek and dragged Moba to the gardens. Atem followed them with a small frown, looking at Seto with obvious displeasure. When he was alone, Seto brought his hand and touched his cheek, where Téa had kissed him. After a minute, a small smile appeared on his face, before he could prevent it and followed the others to the gardens.

His last thought before reaching the others was, 'you are welcome Téa. You are welcome."

TBC

Well, what can I say? Just trying to keep myself alive. I promise to update again soon, but probably not this week again...or maybe I will. Depends on the threats I might receive!

Please don't forget to review and let me know your ideas. But please, NO FLAMES!!! I am sure you can criticize like an educated human being.


	7. who are you?

CHAPTER6

Hello again people! How do you do? Sorry for the wait, but I was really preoccupied with university. I tell you, it was awful! Well, enough whining, I must thank my dear readers. Without them, I would be tempted to completely abandon this story.

I send my thanks to:  
Elfhobbit01, karone, Drkmagiciangrl25, Nightfall2525, MewmewInuSailorHeart, and Chiyoko-chan

Disclaimer: although I would love to, I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Ahmeni: Téa's uncle

**Who are you?**

_"You know what?" Téa visibly perked up, "You are absolutely right. Maybe I will find someone to love until then. At least I know that I am not forced to marry some stranger. My uncle may be strict, but he will go along with our costumes and let me get to know my suitors. So at least I'll have an idea of what to do. Thank you Seto, you are a dear." With that said, she pecked him on the cheek and dragged Moba to the gardens. Atem followed them with a small frown, looking at Seto with obvious displeasure. When he was alone, Seto brought his hand and touched his cheek, where Téa had kissed him. After a minute, a small smile appeared on his face, before he could prevent it and followed the others to the gardens._

_His last thought before reaching the others was, "you are welcome Téa. You are welcome."_

The next morning, Ahmeni went to his study to consider the proposals and offers of marriage. He spent the whole morning going through the offers, selecting some of them according to his own criteria. He had told Téa that he would only let worthy people court her. She knew that he would not let people of poor social stature even come near her.

In the afternoon, Ahmeni went in search of Téa. He went to the gardens, knowing she would probably be there. He found her there, sitting near the pond and reading a papyrus. He sat next to her on the bench and looked at her, waiting for her to acknowledge him.

"What brings you here uncle?"

"Téa, here is the list of your possible suitors. I know you don't think too highly of me, but just listen to me. There are some things you do not know. Hatti is preparing for war. We need every help possible and Egypt can be a strong ally. I am sure you do not need me to tell you your duties as a Hittite princess. You must help and ensure powerful allies to help your country. I will not oppose your choice of definite suitor, but know that there are two worthy candidates and I and your parents will be very proud of you, should you chose one of them"

With these words, he stood up and went inside, letting Téa alone to take a look at the papyrus he gave her. When she was alone, Téa opened the papyrus and took a look. With the first glance, a groan of annoyance escaped her lips. The first name on the list was Atem's. She knew that he was the first choice her uncle spoke of. She skimmed through the list, but stopped suddenly and her eyes widened. An involuntary whisper escaped her lips,

"Seto!"

Why in the world was his name on the list? He couldn't possibly want to marry her, could he? She understood now what her uncle meant by two worthy candidates. Of course, when either the pharaoh or the high priest took a decision, there were high chances the other one would agree, meaning if she were to marry either one of them, Egypt would be obliged to help Hatti, neither willing to hurt their bride's feeling. It was a dangerous game that she was willing to play in order to help her country; she was a princess and her loyalties would always reside with her country, no matter her own feelings.

Suddenly, she was jerked out of her thoughts by a high pitched voice calling her name,

"Téa!! Where are you? Téa?! Come on Téa, we are going to the city! Atem and Seto are coming too!"

That was definitely Moba! With a sigh, she stood up and went toward where his voice was coming from. She would use this chance to ask Seto what were his motives for courting her.

"There you are! We were starting to worry. What took you so long? Come, our carriage is ready. Atem requested permission for us to go on a picnic!!"

"Sorry, I was busy with some work and had to talk to my uncle." Téa smiled a little and accepted Seto's hand to mount into the carriage where Atem was already seated. Seto and Moba entered too and the four went to the shore of Nile and spent the day there. When they arrived, Moba and Atem lost no time in jumping into the water, swimming and screaming for Téa and Seto to join them. Finding them alone, Téa took her chance and turned towards Seto.

"Seto? I meant to ask you something if you do not mind."

"You can ask, but I do not promise any answers." He replied with a smirk.

"Ugh! What am I going to do with you? Anyways, I wanted to know why you made a proposal. It is highly unlike you, considering you are not exactly affectionate towards me." she all but whispered the last part.

Seto regarded a moment before answering, "Is it bothering you? Do you want me to take my offer back?"

"No! No! Not at all! I was just surprised in a positive way. Can you please tell me why?" Téa hurried to explain, blushing in embarrassment.

"Well, I knew you were going to spend all your time with your suitors and would have no more time to talk or spend with Moba. I did it for him and also to spite Atem." Seto replied, carefully examining her features.

"Oh! So there was no real intent? Of course, silly me, I should have known. Sorry to bother you." Téa hung her head and turned around, about to go to the others, when Seto took her arm and spun her around, taking her face in his hands.

"Téa, those were not my real motives. I do not know how to say it, but Téa; I have feelings for you, feelings that leave me confused. I would never lead you on. I care too much for you to do that." Seto was lost in her beautiful azure eyes, and without realizing it, he bent down, his lips a whisper away from Téa's. She closed her eyes; ready to close the gap between them...when Moba's shriek of laughter rang out, bringing them back to reality. They separated, both blushing, and returned where Atem was swimming and Moba was playing with some kids his age.

The rest of the day, they stole glances of each other, blushing when their eyes met. At last, it was time for them to go back to the palace. When they arrived, Téa passed the sleeping Moba to Seto and Descended with Atem's help, excusing herself to go to her chambers.

When she arrived there, she took a bath and dressed in a pale green dress, and was surprised to find a box on her bed. She sat on a canopy and opened the letter that was attached to the box. It read:

_My dear princess Téa _

_Please accept this humble gift. I hope you will like it. I would like to court you, but it is impossible for me to tell you my name. but be assured, I mean you no harm. All I ask is for you to keep my existence and my gifts a secret until it is time for me to come to you._

_Your secret admirer _

Téa put the letter away and opened the box, gasping at its content. Inside of the box was a beautiful necklace of gold and sapphire, accentuated with emeralds and diamonds. She took it out, and went to the mirror, looking at herself with the necklace. Her laughter rang out, showing her pleasure and happiness.

Upon seeing this, the pair of crimson eyes that observed her closely softened and a whisper could be heard, showing its owner's affections towards the laughing girl inside the room.

"Téa, be assured, I will always keep an eye on you."

TBC

Well! What do you think? Good? Bad? Horrible? Please review and let me know what you think. I will update again when I have at least 5 reviews.  
If you have any ideas, please share with me. I will be happy to have positive criticism.


	8. Oh My God

**CHAPTER7**

Hey there!!!! Time for the next chapter!!! Just wanted to let you know that the updates may take a long time, because university is starting and I have a huge load of work, but, knowing myself, I would be incapable to stay away and would continue to update as possible.

On with the story!

**Oh My God!**

_Upon seeing this, the pair of eyes that observed her closely softened and a whisper could be heard, showing its owner's affections towards the laughing girl inside the room._

_"Téa, be assured, I will always keep an eye on you."_

In the following weeks, Téa had to meet countless suitors and decide whether or not she wanted to be courted by them. Luckily, or unluckily, they were mostly brainless idiots who had powerful fathers, or intelligent ones that held little to no power. The bets were all in favor of either Atem or Seto, and everybody knew that they were the most likely to be chosen.

Ahmeni, surprisingly, never pressured Téa into choosing someone quickly. It was almost as if he was happy to have an extra amount of time to plan things with her parents. Until one day, he came to her chambers and gave her a letter from her parents. Téa, being a naturally curious person, gave her servants an hour free and sat down on her bed to read the letter. It said:

_ Dear Téa_

_We hope that you are content and well. We shall not try to soften the harsh realities of this matter._

_Our beloved daughter, we are at war. But this war is unlike any other seen before. We do not know of our opponent, or of the time of their attack. What we know is that we need Egypt's help and army to overcome this threat to our country. That is why we have no choice but beg of you, as a proud princess of Hatti, to choose either the next Pharaoh or the next High Priest. We do not need to tell you why they are chosen, we need either Egypt or another powerful ally in this war. We shall leave you to your duties._

_May the Gods of war be with you._

_King and Queen of Hatti_

Téa sighed and folded the papyrus back, falling on the bed and rolling over on her stomach, when she saw a silver box on her pillow. Curious, she sat back and opened it. But what was inside made her gasp. She saw a beautiful set of writing tools, made of ebony and silver, with some unused papyruses, ready for her. There was also a note in the box that read:

_My dear princess_

_I hope you are well. I saw this set and all I could think of was you. Hope you like it my dear._

_Your secret admirer_

Téa could only squeal in delight and laugh. 'How romantic! I wonder who is sending me these gifts. Whoever he is, he must be very rich. I'm sure they cost him a good amount of gold. Such a sweet person. But, what if it is Atem? No, I don't think so, he isn't original enough. He would probably give me sweets and flowers. Is it Seto? Still no. he is not romantic like that. Oh well, I must get ready for that outing we planned last week. Let's see, if I want to go swimming, a blue gown will be enough.'

With these thoughts, Téa started to dress and prepare herself for the day. She put on a dark blue dress that let her move freely and another change of clothes. She also took a book to read and went out to join her friends, who were waiting for her, and set out for a day of games and relaxation at the shores of Nile.

When they arrived, Moba immediately found himself some children to play and went swimming. After a while, Atem and Seto joined them, having fun and laughing. Téa chose to sit in shades and read a bit and ignored all cries for her to come swimming. It was too hot for her likening. After an hour or two, when it was a bit cooler, Téa gave in and went in and started swimming and playing with Moba.

Suddenly, a cry was heard which left everybody frozen with fear. Seto was the first to find its source. A little boy, around six or seven was struggling helplessly in the river. The current was too strong for him and he was unable to swim to the shore. But what scared them most was that in a short distance, there were sharp rocks that would easily rip the little boy apart.

Téa reacted without thinking; she just jumped in and started swimming towards the boy, ignoring the shouts of protest from her friends who were running along the shore, trying to find a way to get them out of the river. After a few moments, she reached the almost unconscious form of the boy and wrapped an arm around him, desperately trying to swim back to the shore. But the current was too strong, even for her.

Out of nowhere, a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist and someone helped her swim to the shore. The stranger helped her and the boy to pull out of the water and was sprawled near them, breathing heavily. After catching her breath, Téa lifted her head and gazed at the features of the mystery person. She was shocked!

He was a young man, almost 17. With midnight black hair and eyes a most intense green. His features were sharp and masculine. He wore a red and white dress (A.N. I really have no idea how you call what they wore then. It was like a dress, but slightly different). It clung to his body and revealed his muscled body. Téa blushed furiously upon seeing such a beautiful young man.

After a few seconds, their breathing returned to normal and the young man looked intensely at Téa, his lips curling up in a smug smirk. He propped himself on his elbows and said, "Well? See something you like? I must say, you do look delicious. Tell me little girl, what is your name?"

"For your information, I just wanted to see who saved me and I was absolutely not affected by your appearances. And I must insist that you stop looking at me as if I were some sort of sweets. And lastly, I am not a little girl and I will not tell you my name. And to think I wanted to thank such an arrogant person for saving my life. Now I know my thanks would have been wasted." Téa spat angrily and rose to go towards Atem and Seto who were nearing them, with the rest of the guards running behind them.

"Now now sweetie, I may not be the most charming person to you, but you cannot deny you blushed upon seeing me." His voice came from behind her, just a breath away. She turned and glared at the young man, daring him to do something so she could vent her anger on him.

When Atem and Seto saw how close the two of them were standing, they felt jealousy course through their bodies, but calmed themselves and approached the pair. Seto took her arm and pulled her away while Atem spoke to him, "I must thank you stranger. You have helped our friend and for that, you have our eternal gratitude. Please let us provide some clothes and foods for you at the palace. I am sure her guardian would like to thank you too."

The young man just looked at him and nodded. They turned toward the others when they heard sobs coming from where they stood. It seemed as if the little boy's parents found them and were crushing the boy in their embrace. His mother stood up and approached Téa and bowed to her, tears streaming down her face. She threw herself on her knees and took the hem of Téa's dress and thanked her with a shaky voice. Téa disengaged her dress from the woman's hands and told her, "Do not thank me. Thank that young man in red and white over there. If it weren't for him, I would have also drowned. We both owe him our thanks."

The woman went to him and bowed also, thanking him. He just waved his hands and said, "It was nothing, really. But I must say, if I had not seen such an exquisite flower flowing down the river, I may have never paid attention. She is truly a beautiful flower, wouldn't you agree?" while speaking, his eyes were fixed on Téa and he smirked as she blushed and lowered her head. Of course, his words and actions did not go unnoticed by Seto and Atem, who once again, felt a strong pang of jealousy.

It was decided that they go back to the palace to dry up and thank the young man properly. When they arrived, the stranger was led to a room to change while the others went to their chambers to also change and be ready to see the Pharaoh and Téa's uncle. They all met in front of the throne room and entered together. After a brief explanation of the day, the Pharaoh and Téa's uncle turned towards the hero of the day and Ahmeni spoke, "I must thank you stranger. You saved the life of my niece, the princess Téa. Tell me of your name and origins. You may ask of me what you want, no price is too high for saving her."

The young man bowed and said, "Great Pharaoh, Great ambassador of Hatti, it was an honor to be of service for the princess. My name is Ahshoa(Ah-sho-aa), prince of Babylon and I came here to court the royal princess of Hatti. All I could ask is for your permission to court her."

At this revelation, everybody became silent while Ahmeni looked at him with cold and calculating eyes, until his expression returned back to normal and said, "very well prince Ahshoa, you may court my niece. But I was under the impression that the prince of Babylon was engaged to the princess of Greece. What happened if I may ask?"

Ahshoa didn't lose his calm when he answered, "While it is true that I was to marry her, she had given her heart to another young man, whom she disgracefully eloped with. They were found two weeks later and killed for treason. When I heard that the beautiful princess of Hatti was in age of Marriage, I came as soon as possible. I hope my explanation does satisfy you."

The Pharaoh and Ahmeni nodded, "yes very well. You may reside at the palace for the time of courting. I will have a servant show you to your chambers, the dinner will be ready in two hours and you are also expected. You are all dismissed. You may go now."

When the five of them were out of earshot, Téa turned toward Ahshoa and said, "I apologize for my behavior before and I am truly sorry that your promised didn't honor your union. I hope you will enjoy your stay here." With these parting words, the four of them turned and went to their chambers, but not before Atem and Seto threw him hateful and jealous glares. He chuckled to himself and muttered under his breath, "yes, hate me you morons, it will only make you look bad in front of her. And you my dear princess, I cannot wait to have you in my arms, as I promised before. I do not care if I have to use more dark magic, I will have you. You are mine and no one else's."

Long after he went to his rooms, the hallways still resonated his maniac laughter, scaring the shadows of night.

TBC

Well, here is another chapter. Hope you enjoy and please review.

I must also thank my lovely reviewers, and by the way, Duelist's Heiress , you may be right. Who knows? ;)

Duelist's heiress, DarkRaven, FREEDOM3334, ayame11midori, Anissa, elfhobbit01, Chiyoko-chan, Pharaohess Duel Queen

Before I forgot, the votes are still in Seto's favor! But if someone likes another pairing, please tell me.


	9. Who shall I chose?

**CHAPTER 8**

Hey guys!!! Sorry for the late update but it's been busy and I was kind of getting bored with the story but I promise to finish it. I really hate it when the writer just leaves the Fanfic and starts another one. Oh well, let's start the story, shall we?

And I must thank my dear reviewers:

drkmagiciangrl25, The Duelist's Heiress, anissa, FREEDOM3334, Kitana18

**WHO SHALL I CHOSE?**

Weeks passed. Tea had now narrowed her choice to three people: Atem, Seto and Ahshoa. Almost every day, one of them would attempt to corner her and spend some time alone with her, but the other two were always vigilant and would never let up.

One morning, losing patience, he sent her maid to tell them that she was going to spend the day in her room, ALONE. After many arguments, the boys resigned themselves to a day without Téa.

Téa pulled aside the curtains and decided to enjoy the cool and fresh breeze on her balcony. When she was settled with some fruit and water at her disposition, she opened a book, but instead let her mind wander and analyze the three boys' behavior to find the most suitable person. She went over her list once more to see if she had missed anything:

The three of them would be in a position of power in not so distant future. Her supposedly main reason to marry any one of them. They were not hard to manipulate with some gentle words and a smile. They seemed totally in love with her. They were handsome and well built. Each of them had enough fortune to at least help her parents with war.

Satisfied that she had looked over their common points, she thought about the personalities of each:

Well, Atem was real moody. One moment he was being overly romantic and almost annoying, the next he was so angry that once, he left her without a word and didn't return for the remainder of the day. He was bossy and she knew if she were to be his wife, he would be the only male to ever come closer than ten feet. He was extremely jealous and over protective. But he was generous and gave her expensive jewelry. He could also make her laugh easily and had a noble air to him that she liked. He was caring but somewhat of a player. Téa recalled the day she had found out he had a harem:

_The four of them were enjoying the shade of the palms in the warm morning while Moba was playing with his wooden sword, a gift for his tenth birthday. A young girl, about 17, wearing magnificent clothing came out of the garden's door and headed for Atem. When she arrived before the group, she scowled and said, "My prince, why didn't you take me to your bed last night? I have heard from the other girls that you sent for Mina, not me? My prince, aren't I prettier than her? Why would you want her?" _

_Atem scowled at her and replied, "Shahla, how can you expect me to call for you, when you and that guard were seen together? I was willing to forgive you, but you have the audacity to come and complain? Remove yourself now and go assemble your belongings, I shall send you to the forgotten castle as a punishment." hearing this, the young girl's eyes widened and threw herself at his feet, crying and pleading for mercy. But with a nod from Atem, two guards came and took her inside. He explained that she was one of the girls in his harem and she had betrayed him, thus she was casted aside._

_Téa was shocked. She never knew he had a harem and was a bit disgusted with him_.

Oh yeah, he is definitely not my first choice, my country be damned.

Next, let's move onto Seto.

He can be the coldest person and likes to get me all riled up. He is nice and caring, but only towards me and Moba. He can be very cruel and is often found making a servant or low level priests cry. He isn't normally romantic but had his moments, like the other day...

_**Flashback **_

_They had decided to spend the day anonymous in the city. The five of them changed into some old rags and went out from the servants' entrance. They ended up at the market place and started looking around and finding little trinkets. Suddenly something caught Téa's attention. It was a simple necklace, made from silver and a sapphire pendent. Nobody noticed how longingly she looked at the necklace, but she had no more money, having spent them on other things. Later that day, when they all retired for a brief nap, Seto knocked on her door and acting almost embarrassed, handed her the necklace she had been eyeing. Téa was so happy that he had noticed and bought it for her that she gave him a hug and a kiss on a cheek, making him blush a soft pink. It had become one of her favorite necklaces quickly._

_**End Flashback**_

But he could be extremely arrogant and make her want to slap him. He was still on occasions as cold as ever and had made her nearly cry.

Still, she liked him more than the others. She could not explain it, but she was drawn to him. Although he was rude.

He was definitely her top choice.

And lastly, Ahshoa. The black haired, green eyed handsome youth. Even Téa couldn't deny his charms. He was every girl's dream. After all, who could resist a handsome young prince if he was to declare his earnest interest in them? She was aware that the other two knew this fact and this led to more jealousy and fights. She could also feel that those two didn't trust or even like the Babylonian prince and it saddened her, mainly because she had found that the prince and herself had many things in common, like their love of music and arts and flowers. They could spend hours speaking of such matters, but Atem and Seto would always interrupt them, making her very frustrated and angry. If Téa was to be honest with herself, she was feeling something for the foreign prince.

Téa wiped the tears she had unknowingly shed and whispered to herself, "why can't I chose my future husband based on who I like and not who might be a better ally for my country? I wasn't to be free of this restrictions, I want to love whom I want, not chose from a list." Her silent tears turned to loud sobs, her maid rushing out to calm her. Téa wept bitterly in her arms and let herself be guided into the room.

**Somewhere in the palace**

"so, she wants to be free to chose? Hmmm, I think this will work to my advantage. Don't worry my princess, in my arms; you will have all the freedom you may desire. But first, I must make you mine." The silhouette of a man retreated into the shadows, his eyes constantly changing colors.

TBC

So, here is another chapter. Waddya think? Please review. I will update when I have at least 10 reviews. I would like to know what people think. Critics are always welcome, but please no flames. If you think some things are wrong, tell me, I'll be happy to have some feedbacks.


	10. The Kiss

CHAPTER9

I am so sorry!! You can't imagine how ashamed I am of myself for not updating for so long, but I really had a hellish 6 month!

At first, I had a terrible argument with my roommates in the dorm, then I was informed that I failed 2 of my courses, and the scariest of all, I had a serious stalker!!! You can't imagine the horror!

He had my cell number and knew my address!! I was scared for my life!!! But, he is gone now and hasn't called for 2 weeks. Yay!  
Enough of this and let's proceed with the story!!!

I would like to thank my reviewers for their wonderful response. If it weren't for you guys, I would have given up!

Discalimer: My birthday passed, but nobody bought me the crew of Yu-Gi-Oh! so I don't own it. _"sigh"_

THE KISS

_"So, she wants to be free to chose? Hmmm, I think this will work to my advantage. Don't worry my princess, in my arms; you will have all the freedom you may desire. But first, I must make you mine." The silhouette of a man retreated into the shadows, his eyes constantly changing colors._

It was a day like any other. The nature itself seemed refreshed after all the raining last night, which came as a surprise. It was uncommon to have such heavy raining outside the season but nobody paid it much attention, all grateful for some relief from the hellish sun.

As planned, the princess and her courters, accompanied by one cute little boy, went out to spend the day in the flower fields on the outskirts of town. They were a sight to behold. Beautiful, multi-colored flowers in all varieties permeated the air with their divine smell.

As they arrived at their destination, Téa's laughter of delight could be heard as she and Moba started to run in the field, racing each other and jumping up and down. Atem, Seto and Ahshoa looked upon them, amused and smirking slightly at her actions, resembling those of a little girl. The servants brought the picnic basket and prepared the sight for the young masters, should they feel hungry.

Not feeling any hunger at the moment, the three of them joined Téa and Moba, engaging in a game of hide and seek. It was decided that Ahshoa would count first and search for the others. At this decision, a smug smirk appeared on his lips, deciding to add to the fun. They agreed on fifty counts, and he started to count, facing a tree while the others ran for cover.

After his counting was finished, he turned around and observed his surroundings before extracting something form his pocket. It was a blue jewel which shined and shot an arrow of light blue towards the south. A chuckle escaped him as he started towards that decision, finding Téa without any problem in a matter of minutes, hiding in the bushes, and jumped on top of her, quickly bringing his hand to her mouth to prevent her from screaming.

Téa was giggling slightly to herself for finding a good hiding place, before someone jumped on top of her, muffling her scream with their hand. She turned slightly in the strong hold and relaxed as she realized it was only Ahshoa. But tensed again as she saw their position, she was sprawled on her back, Ahshoa lying on her, propped on one elbow and keeping her mouth with the other hand.

He leaned down and whispered, "Tell me Téa, now that I have found you, what is my prize??" Téa laughed somewhat nervously and replied, "What do you want? Is a bite of my lunch later satisfactory enough?" Ahshoa smirked and bent down to bite down on her earlobe and said, "what about a kiss? Only one and I'll let you go."

Téa could only nod. When Ahshoa helped her to her feet, she suddenly pecked him on the cheek and fled, laughing at her own genius. But she didn't reach very far for Ahshoa caught her and proceeded to kiss her passionately, albeit chastely. He let her go with a last nip to her lower lips, looking smugly at her red and swollen lips. She touched a finger to her lips, as if verifying the truth of what happened.

From a distance, the voice of Moba was heard, telling them to stop playing and going back for lunch. When they returned, Téa's dishevel figure and her swollen lips didn't go unnoticed by any of the boys, neither did Ahshoa's smug smirk.

Atem and Seto could barely suppress their anger, but did so for Téa's sake. While eating lunch, Seto made sure to have at least some contact with the young girl, positively infuriating the other two. Moba looked at all this and laughed silently, knowing that if any of them showed any animosity towards each other, Téa would be enraged. He snickered quietly while remembering an accident, back when Ahshoa had first arrived:

_**Flashback**_

_Téa and Moba were sitting in the garden, beneath a palm's generous shade, conversing and having fun, when they heard some shouts and screams from behind the garden's walls. They got up and went to investigate. To their horror and astonishment, they found Atem, Seto and Ahshoa battling with seven or eight other young men. Four or five already knocked out, having been seriously injured._

_Téa was fuming. How dare they fight each other like animals. Her attention was directed towards one of the other men when one of them said, "Now now, milords, we will beat you fair and square and you will have to renounce your claim on the princess, she will belong to us and marry one of us. For once you won't be able to take something from us with your money."_

_She decided she had heard enough, so she called the guards and had them arrest all of the young men, even Atem, Seto and Ahshoa! She took them all in front of the Pharaoh and her uncle and declared she would never marry men who act like animals and have no respect for women._

_After calming her down and freeing the men, Pharaoh ordered the minor nobilities to come and take their son out of the palace and informed them that their suite had been rejected and why. The young men could not lift their heads in their shame. The Pharaoh ordered his son and the two others to go and apologize to the princess._

_Of course, she scolded them and yelled at them until she was out of breath, telling them in no uncertain terms if they were to behave like animals, she would make sure they would find an animal suited to their needs to take as wife!_

Moba couldn't control his laughter remembering their horrified expression the next morning, each finding a female goat and an enraged dog in their chambers, with a note that said, "May these animals be a good companion for you, for you are as stubborn as a goat and wild as a street dog!"

Judging by their expressions, he was sure they would take any chance they could to get even with each other. He rubbed his hands together in glee, it was fun watching Téa put them in their places. Of course, he rooted for his brother, but it was still fun to watch even him be a little afraid of Téa.

Oh, what interesting days he will have until Téa choose her husband. He couldn't wait to see more!!

TBC...

Well, here it is!!! I am going to post the next chapter within the next 24 hours, but only if I have reviews!

So please, review!!


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